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What is the least amount of money you had to spend for a Corvette " Back in the Day "
....Hey "Old Timers".....Let's here what is the least amount of money or trade that you had to pay for your C-1 or C-2 Corvette years ago.
Let's hear your stories.....see your photos....what did you do with your old rides.
Here we Go.....
In '74 i had just turned 19, i paid $1,150.00 for my L79...I bought it from a couple that had just bought it, and then found out they were going to have a kid...
....Hey "Old Timers".....Let's here what is the least amount of money or trade that you had to pay for your C-1 or C-2 Corvette years ago.
Let's hear your stories.....see your photos....what did you do with your old rides.
Here we Go.....
A '59 Crown Sapphire Metallic I purchased in the summer of 1963 for $1,500.
I paid $400 for my first Corvette, a '59 POS with no chrome, no two tires the same size, pink **** carpet, a Rat Fink Hurst shifter (use your imagination), no mufflers, a loose driver's seat spring which could affect your manliness, and with some of the fiberglass missing. In 1969 it was capable of 13.6 second 1/4 mile times.
$625.00 for a '57 in the summer of '67. Minor front end damage that was fixed for $200.00. Passed on a '58 about that same time that was offered to me by a dealer that I knew. The offer price was $425.00. It had a slipping clutch. I didn't like the color and the goofy traction bars and aftermarket wheels. Had purchased a '58 in '66 when I was barely 17 years old. Paid $1,200 for it. Bad motor and trans. It was a stupid purchase but it provided me with a steep learning curve about motors and transmissions. At 17, and being my first Corvette, I would have crawled over a mile on broken glass to have one.
I bought a 72 LT1 T-top in 1974 and the 1963 coupe I still own in 1978. As best I recall I paid about $4,500 for each of them. 1972 Corvette and 1949 wife.
...,...bought my first Corvette in 1969. It was a 1962 that had a rough life. No generator, broken steering arm, two popped tires (steering and tires from jumping a curb) generator and radio and battery missing/stolen while sitting parked. Paid $750 for it. My folks thought I had lost my mind. Got it running with junk yard parts.
Good Times
I bought my first Corvette at the ripe old age of 16. I gave $800 for a '61 jewel blue, white cove, blue interior, fuelie with two tops. I never checked the rear end ratio but I still rember 3000 RPM was somewhere around 60 mph.
One of the things I wish I never did was selling it two years later for $1000. I'm not even sure if I have a picture of it. When I sold it I bought a red, red 1965 350 hp convertible with factory air. The only options I remeber it having was the A/C, tinted windshield, a radio and both tops.
Bought the '62 in 1967 for ~$1600; my Dad advised me that - for the same money - I could buy a 2 year old 1965 Chevy Bel Air FOUR DOOR just like his. He lived long enough to see the asking prices of 1962 Vettes going for $20K+. I have a Polaroid shot of mine displayed at the FORD dealership but don't have a CLUE how to send it (Can't teach an old dog...) 53 years later, it's STILL in my garage... Ron
Last edited by Cruzmeisters; 09-27-2020 at 11:24 PM.
1973 bought a '57 220hp/3spd/hrdtp only/W/B radio from Lincoln Corvettes in Seattle for $1,500 and passed on a Red '55 priced at $3,000., but many here have such similar stories I'm sure. begee22
Cold day in January, '68. Notice all the salt on the car and tires. Daily driver back then. Freshman in college. The girl in the pic became my wife. Eighteen years old when pic was taken. This car was sold to a guy who lived on my dorm room cubicle. He sat on it for 43 years and restored it when he retired. $175K in the resto. Don't ask me why. This was a 2X4bbl automatic car, originally. When I had it, it sported a 3-speed with 1X4bbl. When he restored it, I got the 3-speed back. Sort of a sentimental thing. Took out the 4-speed in my current '57 and put in the 3-speed from the original car.
Last edited by Dan Hampton; 09-27-2020 at 11:55 PM.
1973, I paid $1800 for my first Corvette, a Nassau Blue 65 convertible pictured above. Wifey made a clock for me from a picture we took after I had restored it. Sold it in 1981 for $8500 and thought I’d made a killing. Been sorry ever since!
!963 split window for 3,000 in 1977. Wife always wanted one. Was to be her daily for a short commute, then retired. She could not deal with the balky Hurst shifter with the big T handle (only non original part on the car, the rest was matching numbers) Looking back on it I should have just replaced the shifter with one that fit her hand. Instead sold it for 6500 and patted myself on the back LOL and got her a red/red 1976 automatic. The split was a white/saddle leather 340hp repainted very well in Marlboro Maroon.
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-‘19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
First car, July '67, a 59 283/230 3 speed for $1,050. Sold it 10 months later for the same amount. Sorry for the crap photo, I have shown the better ones on here several times. I was trying to avoid the shadow in the sun and by not looking through the viewer I lost half the car but got the shadow anyway.
Sold that to get the '67 (BB for $4,000). When I sold the '67 in late 70 I got this '56 project car (OK, basket case! ) for $650, no motor. I improved it but never got it on the road.
In September 1971 had my 66 GTO stolen. Found a 68 Corvette, International Blue/blue convertible to replace it.
Paid $2000. Turned out the car was an L89 and I didn't even know it when I bought it.
09-27-2020, 07:47 PM
What is the least amount of money you had to spend for a Corvette " Back in the Day "
) for $650, no motor. I improved it but never got it on the road.
